Student Diversity in Top MBA Programs (Quick Reads)

After serving with the Israeli Defense Forces, and travelling across South America for six months, Evgeni Tsenter came to realize the power of leadership and how it is strengthened by the diversity of knowledge offered by students of different cultures. That is why he chose to study for an MBA at HEC Paris. Here are a few reminders of the opportunities top MBA programs present, taken from Evgeni’s diary excerpt in The Economist.

Devoting your time to extensive research on different business schools will allow you to choose the one which offers the best experience for you. Although he was accepted by three schools, Evgeni was immediately attracted by the student body of HEC Paris, with a campus of roughly 100 nationalities.

Enrolling in electives that are on unfamiliar topics will expose you to new approaches in business and will challenge you to think outside the box. Evgeni’s elective course was held in a medieval monastery 600 km south of Paris, and focused on ethical dilemmas in professional lives.

An MBA enables you to connect with top leaders and learn from their experience. In Evgeni’s case, he got the chance to meet Philippe Wahl, CEO of La Poste. He shares his memory with great enthusiasm:

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How often do you get the chance to have a private conversation with a person who manages more than 250,000 employees? We asked him about his moral and ethical challenges, the issues he faces leading such a large organization, the strategy of a postal company in an instant-electronic-messaging society, his work-life balance, and much more. We learnt that ethics isn’t a question of black or white, or even of legal vs. illegal—legal decisions can be almost as ethically and morally challenging as illegal ones and you must learn how to make tough decisions. I came away feeling motivated. That was not just because we met a CEO, but also because of my experience with my fellow MBAs.

Useful Information:

Consider the range of different cultures, and people’s varied professional backgrounds as a huge benefit to your MBA learning experience. Use that to your advantage and be open about your achievements and future goals as well.